John F Kennedy

The assassination of President John F Kennedy. We have all seen the grizzly video of him being shot to death. So much so that we forget sometimes that he was a human being who was murdered and not just our president being assassinated. Most of us have accepted the Warren Commission's finding that Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone and was solely responsible for the murder of JFK. "Conspiracy Theorists", a label given to people that disagree with the Warren Commission's report, have rightly said that we should not trust the report as it was basically a government report which was written by a government trying to protect itself. Now the internet is providing the public with more information, or clues, as to what really happened. Below are two YouTube videos that have put me into the "Conspiracy Theorists" camp.
The first video video has been referd to as, "The Speech that got JFK Assassinated":

Eerie, huh? Who exactly was he warning us of? It makes you suspect of some of the things that are going on today...

The second video raises questions about the governments handling of his security:


So here's another question: where have these audio and video tapes been?

The Sorrow of India

As if the world's food supply wasn't precarious enough, there is a ghastly epidemic of suicides among India's farmers. By one estimation, over 160,000 Indian farmers have committed suicide since 1997 although the official estimate is an average of 10,000 per year since the early 1990s. Crop failures, free trade policies, indebtedness, little irrigation and lack of governmental support have led a seemingly hopeless situation for the farmers. To compound the situation, most of the suicides have taken place in only four states which has psychologically devastated India's agricultural region.
Here is a link if you would like to learn more.

America Waves...

This LINK will take you to my very own internet radio station! Well, it's more of an internet playlist, actually, of musical artists on KIAC. The site allows you to check out artists of all styles and compose your own listening page. It's a great way for up-and-coming artists (even Willie Nelson!) to get some exposure for a nominal fee. But if you just want to listen and maybe set up your own page it's absolutely free! Check it out!

P.S. My personal favorite is "America Waves" by Emile Millar. He wrote the song after watching a documentary covering a family's coping with the death of their son in the Iraq war.

Public Urination

I was perusing my local Craig's List for musical instruments when I came across an ad for an electronic keyboard. The price for the 3 year-old keyboard was absurdly high, higher than if you purchased it new, but that's not what sparked my ire. The ignition came when I saw the attached photo diplaying the keyboard leaning against an outdoor storage unit. I decided to pseudo-inquire about the keyboard and learned that it has been stored inside the locker, "for the past year or two". That means that the ELECTRONIC keyboard had been subject to temperature extremes ranging from -20 degrees to say 110 degrees along with gooey humidity. This kind of alarmed me since we have had two computers die on us after storing them for only a few months in our basement. The best part was that the seller said that she had lost the power adapter so I wouldn't be able to turn it on in order to test it(?????) unless I went out and purchased my OWN adapter.
That really pissed me off so I placed my own Craig's List ad warning others about the pitfalls of an over-priced electronic keyboard that had been subjected to humidity and dizzying temperature extremes. One Craig's Lister replied and thanked me for the observation as he was considering purchasing it. But another was not so thankful and let me know it. Here is her reply...

from:jean nel(deleted)@sistermoonglo@(deleted)

"Oh for Chrissake, not EVERYONE is a price specialist like you morons.

Most people on CL don't do extensive price checks.

Cut the person a break, so what??

Go to hell you loser CL police..."

Needless to say, I was crushed. I try to do Jean a favor and this is what she gives me! So I then poured myself a Diet Pepsi, sat back and responded to her in that warm, fuzzy way that I am so noted for...

"Hi Jean and thanks for answering my Craig's List ad. I also appreciate your summer-traveling advice recommending that I go to hell. But I must say, Jean, that I have no intention of visiting the state of OHIO anytime in the near future especially with gas prices being what they are!
However, you completely missed the BIG PICTURE concerning the criticism of the CL post. The ELECTRONIC keyboard (which is a fairly delicate ELECTRONIC gizmo), had been stored for months in an OUTSIDE storage unit thus subjecting it to sub-zero temperatures, humidity and extreme temperature variations. Would YOU recommend buying it?
As for the price--Don't you think people should check things out before they post or buy? All you have to do is GOOGLE it and you have results in seconds. Try it now, you might learn something. I'm not a "PRICE SPECIALIST" but I do know what a fair asking price is and I don't want to see people (who are not internet savvy enough to use google) get ripped-off. People have every right to sell an item for whatever they want but others have the right to call them out on it if they are trying to price gouge, sell potentially defective/dangerous merchandise or are some con artists out of Nigeria. But I guess I should just keep my mouth shut and let people lose their money because it upsets your fascist principle of "anything for a dollar".
So please, Jean (or sistermoonglo or whatever the hell you call yourself), go piss up a rope and try thinking about things before you have another one of your spastic/knee-jerk reaction fits. Remember, Jean, we are only here to help you.

Sincerely,
OOOCLA
(The Official Observers and Overseers of Craig's List Acquisitions)"


I guess I don't know what to think about this whole stupid experience. Craig's List is a great tool for us common folk but some of the stuff that goes on can be disheartening whether it be Nigerian scam rackets, sexual predators or a person just trying to sell you complete junk. My only advice is to research any product for sale and only deal locally. Oh, and if you have any rope you'd like to sell, please post it on Craig's List so Jean has something to urinate up.

Verdict? Jean sucks!

There's Improv Everwhere!

Improv Everywhere causes scenes of chaos and joy in public places and that's all I'm going to say about it. Just watch the videos below...

Every boys dream...


Poking fun at "The Man"...


Mesmerizing...


Improv Everywhere performers are unpaid, uncorporated, and unwashed volunteers. I'm a member and you can be one too! Sign up and join a local chapter today!
Click here: Improv Everywhere

Verdict? Improv Everywhere Rocks!

Charity Begins at Home

A local news station recently featured the St. Vincent de Paul thrift stores in our town. The spokesman for "St. Vinny" said that because of the sluggish economy, donations were less than usual and that contributions of household goods like would be greatly appreciated. This call-to-arms led me to a day of closet/basement rummaging where unworn clothes were washed, unused items were located and dust bunnies were dusted. "Hot Damn!"--altruism and spring cleaning in one karmic bundle!

So I make the call to the donations office and a very nice lady asks me what kind of items I would like to donate. I rattle off the list--bed frame, new speaker stands, clothes, vacuum cleaner, computer monitor etc. She then tells me that all these items were acceptable and asks if a Wednesday pick-up would be good for me. I said it was and asked for a time. "Well we can't give you a time", the nice lady tells me. "If you can't be there then leave the items in your driveway or porch before 8:30am and they'll pick it up between then and 5pm". Hmmm, so I have to go "redneck" for a day and leave all the stuff in my driveway even with this April showers thing going on. But it's for charity, right?
So I agree to have it picked up and spend a good chunk of time Tuesday night hauling the items up from the basement and covering everything in plastic for the next days pickup. I'm then in and out of the house Wednesday and notice that the items are still there and I start to become a little anxious considering we are supposed to receive an inch of rain the next day. At 3:30 I call the nice lady and she assures me that the items will be picked up by 5pm and not to worry. Well, it gets to be 4:45 and I start to worry. I decide to call the nice lady again but I get an automated recording that says that their office closes at 5pm and won't I please call some other time? Ahhh! The nice lady cut-out of the office early!
The time is now 5:20 and I call again only this time I leave a message basically asking what's going on with my pickup and should I leave it out again tomorrow even though the April shower thing will be in full swing. As soon as I hang up the phone the truck pulls into the driveway. Hurray! Relieved that I won't have to blog St. Vincent, I start to get that altruistic glow all over again...
But what's this? The driver pulls away and leaves most of the stuff in the driveway!!! He takes the clothes and the vacuum but leaves all the other items! I then start to over think the situation. Maybe his truck is full and he has to come back? Did he not the think the other items were for pickup? I leave the nice lady another message asking why the man left me with all the stuff that I am trying to get rid of and do NOT want to haul into the basement again. Oh, the horror...
While I'm scratching my head trying to figure out what to do with this stuff I notice some papers sticking out of our mailbox. One of the papers was a rejection letter that the driver filled out. There were several boxes on the form that he COULD have checked (unrepairable items, needs cleaning, weather damaged, etc..) but he checks-off the "Items Not in Demand" box. But attached to this paper is a donor/tax deduction receipt that the nice lady printed off which lists, "4 bags of misc, 1 bed frame and two-speaker stands" as my donated items. WTF? They originally tell me that they need these items but now they say they don't!
So I guess that the driver felt that people do not need a bed frame to sleep on, a stand to put their speakers on, a computer monitor to see what they're typing or a printer to print what they've typed. Either that or it was the end of the day and the driver felt that the light weight items were more in demand than the heavy ones. No demand for the bed frame, huh? I guess that's why I CARRIED that thing for a half mile to my house when I found it so that my mattress wouldn't be on the floor. And don't they use those twin-bed frames at their homeless shelters for people to sleep on? No one could use a 20" computer monitor, right? I guess that's why I bought a monitor similar to it from St. Vincent when I first moved to town. Yet when I was in St. Vincent this past weekend I saw the same jig-saw puzzles, porcelain figurines and tea sets that have been sitting on the shelves for the past three years. But then again knick knacks are a little easier to load onto a truck...
So the gist of the story is that even a charitable institution/business is more than capable of not following through on a deal. Even though they depend on people like me for free merchandise they have no problem with sifting through the donation and leaving the rest of it in your driveway even after they agree to collect it. I try to give to them and this is what they give me!

By the way, if you are the type of person who likes to have your mattress on a frame or your speakers on a stand then please email me for my address. It's all still sitting in my driveway...

The Hope of Nader

Ralph Nader has tossed his hat in the Presidential arena for a third time. Some say that this is for the good and some say it's for the bad. A "Spoiler" some call him. Some incorrectly say that a vote for Nader is a wasted vote (a truly wasted vote is a vote that wasn't cast) as he has no hope of being elected president...

No hope? On the contrary, Ralph Nader's entire life has been fueled by hope and hope is what drives his campaign. It was hope for a better America that drove him to fight for legislation that has made our lives livable. He was instrumental in implementing the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, Whistleblower Protection Act, Mine Health and Safety Act, Consumer Product Safety Act, Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) and dozens of other essential laws that impact our daily lives. He has started or helped start over fifty organizations that provide hope for Americans such as Congress Watch, Clean Water Action Project and Freedom of Information Clearinghouse. The man's hope has provided us essential laws that allow us freedom and safety and yet he has never been elected to a governmental position.

He hopes that people recognize all his accomplishments. He also hopes that voters recognize that he actually practices what he preaches. He doesn't own a car because he feels it would be hypocritical since he's taken on auto companies and big oil. He buys his off-the-rack suits for $90 because he has preached for both individual and governmental fiscal responsibility. He hopes that voters will recognize that he has been the candidate for real change long before Obama wrote, "The Audacity of Hope". He hopes that although he has never been elected in a government election, that people will recognize that he has more legislative and political experience then the ex-first lady/carpet-bagger senator offered in Clinton. He also hopes that people will remember that a position challenging wars can be just as patriotic as supporting wars. Unlike McCain who has based his whole campaign on his personal war achievements and current support of the Iraq war.

So, what if the planets align and people decide not to vote for the lesser of two-evils and actually vote their convictions? Let's say that a shocked congress that is afraid of losing their own jobs to an independent get behind President Nader. His vision, his hope is now being parlayed into Presidential action. What would it look like? Well, we now have the secured borders that we hoped for and NAFTA has been revised to be fair to all three countries not just two. Corporations that ship jobs overseas no longer receive goverment tax breaks and grants. Our economy is flourishing as we now operate under a philosophy of "Fair Trade" and not a "Free Trade".
We are now the leader in environmental technology which has created thousands of high-paying tech jobs while drastically curbing our CO2 emissions. With the implementation of "Universal Health Care" all Americans have health care and the burden is now lifted off of U.S. corporations, allowing them to become more competitive in foreign trade. The nation's collective psyche is less strained now as it watches it's soldiers permanently returning from the Iraq war. We now no longer have troops in Iraq, Bosnia and...ah, fuck it. Maybe it IS too much to hope for...

At Last! last.fm!

Boy, I sure like music. Do you like music? Wow, really?--then hold my hand and let me take you on an e-ticket ride! The name of the ride is www.last.fm where we can gorge ourselves on tons of free music!

In all seriousness, last.fm is a great place to be. Just enter a band, album or song in the search bar and you'll see a list of possible matches. Make a selection and then you'll be directed to the bands page with a list of songs. Just press the link and you've got yourself the tune! It's that easy. Most songs are the full length and only a few are the 30 second demos. There are also links to vendors if you wish to purchase the cd.
Best of all, you don't have to download any goofy software to be able to listen. You don't even have to enable 'cookies'. What's also nice is that they list bands that are in the same genre as the one you have selected. My musical tastes are all over the map and I have found every band that I did a search on. Another good sight for exploring new music is Pandora.com which will play music streams based on your musical tastes/preferences.

So set aside a few hours, keep your hands inside the car at all times and take last.fm for a ride!

Verdict? last.fm rocks!